SESSION 2 – THE MECHANICS of Effective Bible Study

The 3^RD KEY – STUDY- Three Questions To Ask When We Approach any Portion of the Bible

1) WHO IS SPEAKING?

Matthew 4:4 But he (Jesus) answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

Genesis 3:4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:

Romans 11:13 For I (PAUL) SPEAK to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I AM THE (SINGULAR) APOSTLE OF THE GENTILES, I magnify mine office:

2) TO WHOM ARE THE WORDS SPOKEN?

2 Chronicles 7:14 If my (God’s) people (Israel), which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land (Israel).

Ephesians 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us (the members of “the church which is body of Christ”) with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

Romans 11:13 For I (Paul) speak TO YOU GENTILES

Most Scripture concerns either of three parties: “…the Jews… the Gentiles… the church of God ”     1 Corinthians 10:32

3) WHEN WERE THE WORDS SPOKEN OR WRITTEN?

In the so-called Gospels we read these words below… spoken to the children of Israel ;

Luke 9:6 And they (the Twelve Apostles) departed, and went through the towns, preaching the gospel (of the kingdom), and healing every where.

Luke 9:44-45 Let these sayings sink down into your ears: for the Son of man shall be delivered into the hands of men. ⁴⁵ But they understood not this saying, and it was hid from them, that they perceived it not: and they feared to ask him of that saying.

Luke 18:31-34 Then he took unto him the twelve (The Twelve Apostles sent to Israel, see Matt 10:5-6), and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished. ³² For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on: ³³And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again. ³⁴ And they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken.

Matthew 10:5-7 These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: ⁶ But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel . ⁷ And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Matthew 15:24 But he (Jesus) answered and said, I am not sent but (except) unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel .

Matthew 5:18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

Not being one of “the twelve,” Paul wrote this to “the body of Christ” (29 years after the cross).

Romans 6:14b …for YE (members of “the church which is the body of Christ”) ARE NOT UNDER THE LAW, BUT UNDER GRACE.

THREE GUIDING PRINCIPLES in Bible Study:

Now we can delve into what the writers of and speakers in the Bible are talking about. There are three guiding principles for proper hermeneutics (Bible Interpretation).

1. PRINCIPLE OF “LITERAL INTERPRETATION - “When in context the normal sense makes sense, seek no other sense.” This may include an obvious metaphor; e.g., “the lamb of God.”

Nehemiah 8:8 So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.
Luke 1:30-33 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. ³¹ And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. ³² He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: ³³ And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.
John 1:29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
Revelation 1:20 The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.

b. The COMPARATIVE PRINCIPLE In Bible Study

1) Scripture is best interpreted by COMPARING SCRIPTURE WITH OTHER SCRIPTURE.

2 Peter 1:20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. 1 Corinthians 2:13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, BUT which the Holy Ghost teacheth; COMPARING SPIRITUAL THINGS WITH SPIRITUAL.

 2) CONTEXT IS IMPERATIVE (A text without context is pretext OR an alleged reason)

Matt 24:13 (Jesus speaking to Israel “only” Matt 15:24) But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. (But today we are “saved by grace through faith” alone (Eph 2:8-9)

Exodus 35:1-3 And Moses (under the Law) gathered all the congregation of the children of Israel together, and said unto them, These are the words which the LORD hath commanded, that ye should do them. ² Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day there shall be to you an holy day, a sabbath of rest to the LORD: whosoever doeth work therein shall be put to death. ³ Ye shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations upon the sabbath day.

Daniel 7:17 (re: Daniel’s vision of beast) These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth.

3) REMOTER CONTEXT – is seen by making comparisons -

Acts 1:8 But ye (Jesus of Nazareth ’s Jewish disciples) shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem , and in all Judaea, and in Samaria , and unto the uttermost part of the earth (occurs in the Millennium).

But, here we read - Matthew 10:23 But when they persecute you ( Israel ) in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall NOT have gone over the cities of Israel , till the Son of man be come (again).
Yet ultimately; “Ask of me (the Lord), and I shall give thee ( Israel ) the heathen (Gentile) for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.” (Psalm 2:8)

c.       The DISPENSATIONAL PRINCIPLE In Bible Study

• Paul tells us to NOTE the Truth as differentiated from other Truth - 2 Timothy 2:15 STUDY to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, RIGHTLY DIVIDING THE WORD OF TRUTH.
• A “DISPENSATION” is a particular program the God administers or dispenses;

e.g., Innocence, Conscience, Human Gov’t, Promise, Law, Grace, The Millennial Reign, New Heaven & New Earth.

By example, let’s now demonstrate differing truth according to four differing dispensations by comparing God’s dietary commands… as seen here in Gen 1:29 (innocence), Genesis 9:3 (Conscience), Lev 11:4-10 (the Law), and 1Tim 4:4 (Grace).

a.      Under the Dispensation of Innocence in the Garden only vegetation was for food. - Genesis 1:29 God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.

b.      Under the Dispensation of Conscience meat was added Post-flood - Gen 9:3 Every MOVING THING THAT LIVETH shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things.

c.       Under Dispensation of “The Law” flesh (animals/fish) was restricted. - Leviticus 11:4-10 Nevertheless these shall ye not eat of them that chew the cud, or of them that divide the hoof: as the camel, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you. ⁵ And the coney, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you. ⁶ And the hare, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you. ⁷ And the swine, though he divide the hoof, and be clovenfooted, yet he cheweth not the cud; he is unclean to you. ⁸ Of their flesh shall ye not eat, and their carcase shall ye not touch; they are unclean to you. ⁹ These shall ye eat of all that are in the waters: whatsoever hath fins and scales in the waters, in the seas, and in the rivers, them shall ye eat. ¹⁰ And all that have not fins and scales in the seas, and in the rivers, of all that move in the waters, and of any living thing which is in the waters, they shall be an abomination unto you:

d.      Under “the dispensation of the grace of God,” (Eph 3:2), Paul writes this concerning foods - 

1 Timothy 4:4 For EVERY CREATURE OF GOD IS GOOD, and NOTHING TO BE REFUSED, if it be received with thanksgiving:

• Compare Peter’s words in Acts 3:21 with Paul’s words in Romans 16:25

Acts 3:21 (KJV) (Jesus) Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath SPOKEN BY the mouth of all his holy PROPHETS SINCE the world began.
Romans 16:25 (KJV) Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my (Paul’s) gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of THE MYSTERY, which was KEPT SECRET SINCE the world began,

• Compare James 2:24 with Romans 4:3-5. Note the context of who is being addressed.

James writes to… “the twelve tribes scattered abroad” (James 1:1).

James 2:24 (KJV) Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and NOT by faith only.

Paul writes to the members of “the church which is His body” at Rome .

Romans 4:4-5 (KJV) Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. ⁵ But to him that WORKETH NOT, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, HIS FAITH IS COUNTED FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS.

Ephesians 2:8-9 (KJV) For BY GRACE ARE YE SAVED THROUGH FAITH; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: ⁹ NOT OF WORKS, lest any man should boast.

Thus, we may note that while God never changes, His dealing with men have changed through the differing dispensations. THIS IS THE ISSUE OF “DISPENSATIONAL STUDY.”

THE 4^TH KEY- UNDERSTAND GOD’S “SECRET,” whichPaul calls “the MYSTERY.”

Romans 16:25-26 …the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of THE MYSTERY, which WAS KEPT SECRET since the world began, ²⁶ But now is made manifest (rendered apparent)…

Paul here defines the heretofore hidden “mystery,” subjectively, in the members of “the body of Christ.”

Colossians 1:26-27 Even THE MYSTERY which HATH BEEN HID FROM AGES AND FROM GENERATIONS, but now is made manifest to his saints: ²⁷ To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of THIS MYSTERY AMONG THE GENTILES; which is CHRIST IN YOU, the hope of glory:

Session 2, to be Continued…The following 2 pages are notes to what I call “GOD’S SECRET GOSPEL”